Australian singer Eddie Benjamin has confirmed his high level of involvement in the creation of Justin Bieber‘s new album Swag, which the hitmaker dropped without warning on Thursday night.
The Sydney-born singer, 23, thanked his ‘best friend’ in a heartfelt post made to Instagram, in which he cites his involvement in 11 out of the 21 songs.
‘Made a album with my bestie. My love for this being is so deep,’ Eddie said as he shared several recent paparazzi photos of the pair together in a carousel of behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Swag.
The post comes one month after Eddie and Justin documented their mountain getaway with a group of a male friends to make the album.
This would seem to confirm the new album was only made in June, with Bieber, 31, delivering the audio so late that none of the writers are named or credited.
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Australian singer Eddie Benjamin has confirmed his high level of involvement in the creation of Justin Bieber’s new album Swag, which the hitmaker dropped without warning
Instead of following the usual practice, global streamers were not informed of vital information regarding the album in advance, with sources revealing that it was delivered ‘late’ and ‘chaotically’ to working partners.
All streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, are yet to have the all-important credits which explain who has worked on each song.
‘Justin delivered the audio for his new album really late, as in only a few hours before it came out, hence why there are no credits on the songs and so far, no one knows who did what,’ an inside source said.
‘This isn’t the normal process when releasing a new album, everything was delivered so late to partners and many within the industry feel it has been randomly rushed out.’
‘So grateful to lean on you as a friend,’ Eddie continued in his post.
‘The fact we get to make music is a cherry on top. You teach me so much and are a true friend.
‘This experience has been my favourite musical experience I’ve had making some soulmates along the way way. The swag is beyond real. Always has been Swag.’
Eddie, who has written and produced songs for Bieber as well as Meghan Trainor, Shawn Mendes, and Earth, Wind & Fire, then listed 11 tracks from Swag.
‘Made a album with my bestie. My love for this being is so deep,’ Eddie said as he shared several recent paparazzi photos of the pair together in a carousel of behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Swag
Eddie, who has written and produced songs for Bieber as well as Meghan Trainor, Shawn Mendes, and Earth, Wind & Fire, then listed 11 out of 21 tracks on Swag as he said: ‘Made an album with my bestie’
The post comes one month afte r Eddie and Justin documented their mountain getaway with a group of a male friends to make the album
The record also features track names including Dadz Love, Devotion and Therapy Session and follows online concern for the singer’s mental health after an argument with paparazzi
Instead of following the usual practice, global streamers were not informed of vital information regarding the album, with sources revealing that it was delivered ‘late’ and ‘chaotically’
‘Swag ft me [and] Cash Kobain,’ he concluded the post.
On his Stories, Eddie shared a screenshot of the track Swag with his name in the vocal credits. ‘Love singing with you my brother,’ he added.
He also shared a clip of the song Yukon, which a friend had posted with the caption: ‘The Eddie Benjamin effect.’
Swag marks Bieber’s follow-up to 2021’s Justice, which spawned hits like Hold On, Peaches, and Lonely, and led to a world tour that was cut short in 2022 after Bieber announced he was stepping back to prioritise his health.
Since then, the singer has made headlines for everything but music — welcoming his first child, Jack Blues Bieber, with wife Hailey in August 2024, while also facing mounting speculation over his mental health, cryptic online behaviour, and rumoured tensions in his marriage.
And while fans were eager for new material, early reviews suggest Bieber’s time away didn’t lead to a triumphant return—with one critic even calling the album ‘a cry for help.’
However, we won’t have to wait another three years for Justin’s next album, as it’s believed he could be releasing a second body of work within the next two weeks.
Eddie has increasingly been spotted out in public with Justin in recent months, including giving him a cuddle as they left the Golden Globes after-party at Chateau Marmont together in January. Hailey, his wife, did not attend the event.
Eddie Benjamin, 23, is a songwriter, singer, and producer from Sydney, Australia
Eddie was previously in a relationship with American actress and dancer Maddie Ziegler between 2020 and 2023 and he has also been romantically linked to Willow Smith
As a teenager, Eddie performed at jazz clubs around Bondi, as one third of a Blues trio he formed with two classmates from Rose Bay Secondary.
In 2023, he was named Breakthrough Musician of the Year by GQ Australia and was spotted leaving the awards show arm-in-arm with another A-list collaborator, Willow Smith.
‘I had a pretty cute time working with him,’ Willow said. The pair were then seen publicly displaying affection on Bronte Beach.
Eddie was previously in a relationship with American actress and dancer Maddie Ziegler between 2020 and 2023.
